Copy method of generating generation-count information

ABSTRACT

A copy method used in a cloud server and a peripheral apparatus connected to the cloud server through a network includes steps of: scanning a document by the peripheral apparatus to obtain old image data containing an old information block; transmitting the old information block to the cloud server through the network; generating a new information block based on the old image data by the cloud server, wherein the cloud server generates the new information block being different from the old information block and containing new copy information according to old copy information; transmitting the new information block from the cloud server to the peripheral apparatus; and printing out new image data, containing the new copy information and a portion of the old image data, on a medium by the peripheral apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of the co-pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/630,354, filed on Jun. 22, 2017, whichclaims priority of No. 105121312 filed in Taiwan R.O.C. on Jul. 6, 2016under 35 USC 119, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This disclosure relates to an image processing device, a copy apparatusand a copy method, and more particularly to an image processing device,a copy apparatus and a copy method of generating generation-countinformation.

Description of the Related Art

A conventional copier reproduces the full image content of an originalbut cannot effectively control the reproduction of the confidentialdocument. A conventional copy protection function may be achieved usinghidden texts, such as “copy” and “private”, printed on all pages. Whenthe page with the copy protection function is being copied, hiddensecurity watermarks present repeatedly on the whole page represent thatthe copy is not authorized. The watermark for preventing copying is thetext pattern, which functions as the background of the document and ispre-stored in the driver or edited by the user when the document isbeing copied. However, the conventional analog copier does not possessthe digital information processing ability, and cannot embed thewatermark into the reproduced document. The ordinary way is to print thelighter watermark pattern on the sheet, and the sheet with the printedimage serves as the background sheet for copying. For the enterprises orgovernment offices with the requirement of the higher confidentiallevel, if the watermark needs to be embedded into each document, theglass panel for supporting the original may be formed with the specificpattern.

However, such the copy process cannot control the generation count ofthe original document being copied. For example, a superior unitreproduces and transfers a first generation of copied document to anintermediate unit, the intermediate unit reproduces and transfers asecond generation of copied document to a subordinate unit according tothe first generation of copied document, and the subordinate unitfurther reproduces and transfers a third generation of copied documentto persons according to the second generation of copied document.However, one of the persons may get the second generation of copieddocument, and have the second generation of copied document reproduced.Consequently, the person cannot know where does the finally reproduceddocument come.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this disclosure to provide an imageprocessing device, a copy apparatus and a copy method of generatinggeneration-count information, so that an inspection unit can get moreinformation in inspecting the flow of the confidential document.

To achieve the above-identified object, this disclosure provides a copymethod used in a cloud server and a peripheral apparatus connected tothe cloud server through a network. The copy method includes steps of:scanning a document by the peripheral apparatus to obtain old image datacontaining an old information block; transmitting the old informationblock to the cloud server through the network; generating a newinformation block based on the old image data by the cloud server,wherein the cloud server generates the new information block beingdifferent from the old information block and containing new copyinformation according to old copy information; transmitting the newinformation block from the cloud server to the peripheral apparatus; andprinting out new image data, containing the new copy information and aportion of the old image data, on a medium by the peripheral apparatus.

This disclosure further provides a copy method used in a cloud serverand a peripheral apparatus connected to the cloud server through anetwork. The copy method includes steps of: scanning a document by theperipheral apparatus to obtain old image data containing an oldinformation block; transmitting the old image data to the cloud serverthrough the network; generating a new information block based on the oldimage data by the cloud server, wherein the cloud server generates thenew information block being different from the old information block andcontaining new copy information according to old copy information;transmitting new image data, containing the new copy information and aportion of the old image data, from the cloud server to the peripheralapparatus; and printing out the new image data on a medium by theperipheral apparatus.

This disclosure also provides a copy method used in a copy system or acopy apparatus. The copy method comprises steps of: scanning a documentto obtain old image data; performing a judging process on the old imagedata; generating a new information block containing new copygeneration-count information according to old copy generation-countinformation, subtracting an old information block from the old imagedata to obtain a subtracted result and adding the new information blockto the subtracted result to generate new image data and an encodingrecord when the old information block of the old image data is judged ascontaining the old copy generation-count information; and printing thenew image data on a medium.

With the above-mentioned aspects, the new copy generation-countinformation can be generated according to the old copy generation-countinformation when the original is copied, so that each generation ofcopied record of the original can be collected in the copiedgeneration-count information to facilitate the subsequent inspectionwork. In addition, the restriction of the copy generation-count may alsoeffectively control and prevent the poor effect of security or qualitycaused after the original is copied through too many generations.

Further scope of the applicability of this disclosure will becomeapparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of this disclosure, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of this disclosure will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a copy apparatus according to a firstembodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing old image data.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing new image data.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the old and new image data.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an image processing method of the copyapparatus according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the copy apparatus according to asecond embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a copy system according to thepreferred embodiment of this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a copy apparatus 1 of a first embodimentcomprises an image processing device 200 and a peripheral device 100.The image processing device 200 comprises a receiving port 210, aprocessor 220, a storage 230 and an output port 240. The imageprocessing device 200 comprises, for example but without limitation to,a computer, a server or a multi-function peripheral. It is to be notedthat either the copy apparatus 1 or the peripheral device 100 may bereferred to as a peripheral apparatus recited in the claims. When theimage processing device 200 is regarded as the cloud server, theperipheral device 100 is regarded as the peripheral apparatus.

The receiving port 210 receives old image data ID1 and an encodingrequirement signal SC from the peripheral device 100. Each of thereceiving port 210 and the output port 240 may have the interface, suchas the USB interface, the wired or wireless network interface, which canachieve the communication or electrical connection; or an ordinarydirect electrical connection interface (direct bonded together orelectrically connected together through electrical connectors). Theencoding requirement signal SC may comprise executor's identificationdata, time, copy count and/or information of the peripheral device. Theexecutor's identification data may be obtained through a biometricssensor or electronic inductor on the peripheral device. The peripheraldevice 100 comprises, for example but without limitation to, a scanner,a copier or the like.

The processor 220 electrically connected to the receiving port 210performs a judging process on the old image data ID1 according to theencoding requirement signal SC. When the processor 220 judges an oldinformation block B1 of the old image data ID1 as containing old copygeneration-count information IG1, the processor 220 generates a newinformation block B2 containing new copy generation-count informationIG2 according to the old copy generation-count information IG1. Then,processor 220 subtracts the old information block B1 from the old imagedata ID1 to obtain a subtracted result and adds the new informationblock B2 to the subtracted result to generate new image data ID2 and anencoding record CR. The encoding record CR may comprise, for example butwithout limitation to, the encoding time, the encoding method, theinformation before encoding, the information after encoding, theinformation of the encoding requirement signal and the like. The newinformation block B2 may further comprise the information selected fromthe group consisting of the user information, the date information andthe information of the peripheral device 100.

The storage 230 electrically connected to the processor 220 stores theencoding record CR. The storage 230 may be implemented by a hard diskdrive, an optical disk drive, a magnetic tape drive or the like. In oneembodiment, the storage 230 may further store the information selectedfrom the group consisting of the old image data ID1, the encodingrequirement signal SC and the new copy generation-count information IG2.

The output port 240 electrically connected to the processor 220 outputsthe new image data ID2. The output port 240 may have the interface, suchas the USB interface or the network interface, capable of achieving theelectrical connection.

In one embodiment, the receiving port 210 and the output port 240 may becombined together. In another embodiment, the encoding requirementsignal SC may be omitted. That is, the image processing device 200performs the judging and processing processes upon the receipt of theold image data ID1.

In this embodiment, the processor 220 further outputs the new image dataID2 through the output port 240 to the peripheral device 100 accordingto the encoding requirement signal SC. The peripheral device 100 maystore or transmit the new image data ID2, or print the new image dataID2 on a medium M.

The copy generation-count information represents the information thatthe original has been copied for how many generations. For example,after the original is copied at the first time, a first generation ofreproduced document, on which the generation-count information of 1 isrecorded, is obtained. A second generation of reproduced document, onwhich the generation-count information of 2 is recorded, is obtained bycopying the first generation of reproduced document, and so on. Thus,the new copy generation-count information IG2 is equal to the old copygeneration-count information IG1 plus one predetermined value, which is1 in this embodiment. In other embodiments, the predetermined value maybe any value, such as 2, 3, 4 or the like.

For example, the old image data ID1 in FIG. 2 contains original imagedata ID and the old information block B1. The old information block B1contains the information, such as bar codes corresponding to thehuman-readable code of 0316062603507, which represents that the copygeneration-count is three (03), the copy time falls on Jun. 26, 2016(160626), the code of the copy requester is (035), and the copy count isseven (07) in order. The new image data ID2 processed by the imageprocessing device 200 of this embodiment contains the original imagedata ID and the new information block B2. The new information block B2contains the information of the bar codes corresponding to thehuman-readable code of 0416062702906, which represents that the copygeneration-count is four (04) (representing the reproduced document iscopied from the third generation of reproduced document), the copy timefalls on Jun. 27, 2016 (160627), the code of the copy requester is(029), and the copy count is six (06) in order.

It is worth noting that the image processing device 200 and theperipheral device 100 may be implemented separately, and may also becombined into an integrated copy apparatus 1. That is, the imageprocessing device 200 and the peripheral device 100 are mounted in acasing of the copy apparatus 1, wherein the associated data or recordsmay be selected and only stored in the copy apparatus 1, or transmittedto a cloud apparatus (or cloud server) through the network. In thiscase, the copy apparatus 1 comprises the peripheral device 100 and theimage processing device 200 and is referred to as a peripheral apparatusconnected to the cloud server, wherein the image processing device 200can obtain the old information block B1 based on the old image data ID1.The peripheral device 100 scans a document D to obtain the old imagedata ID1. The image processing device 200 connected to the peripheraldevice 100 receives the old image data ID1 and the encoding requirementsignal SC, and performs the judging process on (or according to) the oldimage data ID1 according to the encoding requirement signal SC. When theold information block B1 is judged as containing the old copygeneration-count information IG1, the new information block B2containing the new copy generation-count information IG2 is generatedaccording to the old copy generation-count information IG1, and the oldinformation block B1 is subtracted from the old image data ID1 to obtaina subtracted result and the new information block B2 is added to thesubtracted result to generate the new image data ID2 and the encodingrecord CR. Next, the peripheral device 100 further receives the newimage data ID2, and prints the new image data ID2 on the medium M tocomplete the copy process.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the old information block B1 is replaced with the newinformation block B2, and the blocks B1 and B2 are located at the sameposition. Thus, if the old information block B1 is transmitted to thecloud server, then the server also obtains the position of the oldinformation block B1, so that the new information block B2 is located atthe same position as the old information block B1. This is beneficial tothe judging accuracy of the image processing device 200. In FIG. 4, theold information block B1 is replaced with the new information block B2,but the two blocks B1 and B2 are located at different positions. Areference point P1 of the old information block B1 is offset from areference point P2 of the new information block B2 by a displacement.Thus, if the old information block B1 is transmitted to the cloudserver, then the cloud server also obtains the position of the oldinformation block B1, so that the new information block B2 is located ata position offset from the position of the old information block B1. Theimage processing device 200 may also judge the generation count (newcopy generation-count information) according to the position of thereference point P2. That is, the bar codes may not contain thegeneration-count information, or the generation-count information isdirectly replaced with the position of the reference point.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an image processing method of the copyapparatus according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. First,in step S01, the peripheral device 100 scans the document D to obtainthe old image data ID1, and the image processing device 200 receives theold image data ID1 and the encoding requirement signal SC. Next, in stepS02, the image processing device 200 performs a judging process on theold image data ID1 according to the encoding requirement signal SC tojudge whether the old information block B1 of the old image data ID1contains the old copy generation-count information IG1 or not. If thejudged result of the step S02 is affirmative, then step S03 is performedand the image processing device 200 judges whether the old copygeneration-count information IG1 is greater than a threshold value TH.If the judged result of the step S03 is affirmative, then step S05 isexecuted and the image processing device 200 generates a copy inhibitingsignal, to inhibit the new image data ID2 from being generated, andinforms the peripheral device of the associated message. If the judgedresult of the step S03 is negative, then step S06 is executed and theimage processing device 200 generates the new information block B2containing the new copy generation-count information IG2 according tothe old copy generation-count information IG1, subtracts the oldinformation block B1 from the old image data ID1 to obtain a subtractedresult and adds the new information block B2 to the subtracted result togenerate the new image data ID2 and the encoding record CR. Next, stepS07 is executed to perform outputting or printing to output the newimage data ID2 or print the new image data ID2 on the medium M. If thejudged result of the step S02 is negative, then step S04 is performed togenerate first generation copy information IG0 and first generationimage data ID0 according to the old image data ID1, and the step S07 iscontinued. That is, when the old copy generation-count information IG1is absent, the image processing device 200 regards the document to becopied as an original, and adds the copy generation-count information ofthe first generation to the reproduced document, and generates the firstgeneration image data.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the copy apparatus according to thesecond embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in FIG. 6, thisembodiment is similar to the first embodiment except for the differencethat the new image data ID2 is outputted to a printing device 300different from the peripheral device 100, and the printing device 300prints the new image data ID2 on the medium M. In this case, theencoding requirement signal SC may contain the information of specifyingthe printing device 300.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a copy system according to thepreferred embodiment of this disclosure. The copy method of FIG. 5 mayalso be applied to the copy system. As shown in FIG. 7, multipleperipheral devices 100 are connected to the image processing device 200,which may be regarded as a cloud server, through a network 400. The copyoperation of each peripheral device 100 is controlled and recorded bythe image processing device 200 to implement the copy processes with thecopy history records in the office or unit. Also, different generationsof original image data ID may be compared in the cloud server toimmediately judge whether the original image data ID is improperlymodified or not, and notify the information office or unit to performthe inspection when the original image data ID is improperly modified.

With the above-mentioned embodiment of this disclosure, the new copygeneration-count information can be generated according to the old copygeneration-count information when the original is copied, so that eachgeneration of copied record of the original can be collected in thecopied generation-count information to facilitate the subsequentinspection work. In addition, the restriction of the copygeneration-count may also effectively control and prevent the pooreffect of security or quality caused after the original is copiedthrough too many generations.

While this disclosure has been described by way of examples and in termsof preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure isnot limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should beaccorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all suchmodifications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A copy method used in a cloud server and aperipheral apparatus connected to the cloud server through a network,the copy method comprising steps of: scanning a document by theperipheral apparatus to obtain old image data containing an oldinformation block; transmitting the old information block to the cloudserver through the network; generating a new information block based onthe old image data by the cloud server, wherein the cloud servergenerates the new information block being different from the oldinformation block and containing new copy information according to oldcopy information; transmitting the new information block from the cloudserver to the peripheral apparatus; and printing out new image data,containing the new copy information and a portion of the old image data,on a medium by the peripheral apparatus.
 2. The copy method according toclaim 1, wherein the new copy information is new generation-countinformation, and the old copy information is old generation-countinformation.
 3. The copy method according to claim 2, wherein in thestep of transmitting the old information block, the old image data istransmitted from the peripheral apparatus to the cloud server throughthe network.
 4. The copy method according to claim 2, wherein in thestep of generating the new information block, the new image datacontaining the new information block is generated by the cloud server.5. The copy method according to claim 2, wherein the cloud serverperforms a judging process on the old image data, wherein when the oldinformation block of the old image data is judged as containing the oldcopy generation-count information, the cloud server generates the newinformation block.
 6. The copy method according to claim 2, wherein thecloud server subtracts the old information block from the old image datato obtain a subtracted result and adds the new information block to thesubtracted result to generate the new image data.
 7. The copy methodaccording to claim 2, wherein a value represented by the new copygeneration-count information is greater than a value represented by theold copy generation-count information.
 8. The copy method according toclaim 2, wherein in the step of transmitting the new information block,the new image data is transmitted from the cloud server to theperipheral apparatus.
 9. A copy method used in a cloud server and aperipheral apparatus connected to the cloud server through a network,the copy method comprising steps of: scanning a document by theperipheral apparatus to obtain old image data containing an oldinformation block; transmitting the old image data to the cloud serverthrough the network; generating a new information block based on the oldimage data by the cloud server, wherein the cloud server generates thenew information block being different from the old information block andcontaining new copy information according to old copy information;transmitting new image data, containing the new copy information and aportion of the old image data, from the cloud server to the peripheralapparatus; and printing out the new image data on a medium by theperipheral apparatus.
 10. The copy method according to claim 9, whereinthe new copy information is new generation-count information, and theold copy information is old generation-count information.
 11. The copymethod according to claim 10, wherein the old image data is transmittedfrom the peripheral apparatus to the cloud server through the network.12. The copy method according to claim 10, wherein the cloud servergenerates new image data containing the new information block based onthe old image data.
 13. The copy method according to claim 10, whereinthe cloud server performs a judging process on the old image data,wherein when the old information block of the old image data is judgedas containing the old copy generation-count information, the cloudserver generates the new information block.
 14. The copy methodaccording to claim 10, wherein the cloud server subtracts the oldinformation block from the old image data to obtain a subtracted resultand adds the new information block to the subtracted result to generatethe new image data.
 15. The copy method according to claim 10, wherein avalue represented by the new copy generation-count information isgreater than a value represented by the old copy generation-countinformation.